User blog:JAlbor/Dead Space 3 Wishlist
Dead Space 3 is right around the corner, and I couldn't be more excited. I personally felt Dead Space 2 was a huge improvement on the already excellent Dead Space. If Visceral keeps up the good work, we can expect Dead Space 3 to be every bit as satisfying. All that being said, there are some things I liked from the first two games more than others. Below are the the five main features that make my wishlist. What things do you want to see more of in Dead Space 3? 1. Zero-G Setpieces The first moment Isaac enters a null-gravity location I was stunned. It was something I never expected to see let-alone enjoy. The combat in 3D space was horrifying and nerve-racking. Enemies could come from all sides and once you commit to movement, there is no quick change in direction or orientation. The few times Isaac actually enters an area with no atmosphere, when the sound suddenly becomes muffled, also made for some exhilarating moments. They designed these scenes so well in previous games, I am certain they can improve on them even more. 2. Improved Multiplayer Competing in the multiplayer market these days is admittedly difficult. Games like Black Ops 2 and Halo have a firm stranglehold over the shooter scene in particular. However, Dead Space offers something few other multiplayer games can provide: A deeply unsettling and rich atmosphere. The developers should use this to their advantage and develop multiplayer scenarios that utilize the world and their expert level design skills. My immediate thought goes to Gears of War 3 and Left 4 Dead as examples of games that took great risk with their multiplayer modes to huge success. Visceral certainly has the skill, they just need to apply more thought into their multiplayer experience and take some risks with new modes. 3. More Necromorphs Every time I spotted a new necromorph, the Stalker especially, it made my blood run cold. The development team will certainly introduce new secromorphs in this game, without a doubt. So to add on to my wishlist, I would love to see these creatures tied to the environment in interesting ways. The moment you enter certain rooms, you know Stalkers will appear because they fit their surroundings so well. The level design taught you something about how these necromorphs behaved and made for some truly chilling scenes. More of this connection between creature and environment could enrich both the story and the multiplayer experience. Imagine setting traps for your opponents as a necromorph, using the environment to coordinate with your allies and keep your enemies guessing. 4. More Environments Dead Space has always felt at home in the tight confines of a space ship. The atmosphere creates an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia and sets up some fantastic jump scares and creepy reveals. That being said, even space corridors get tedious. Dead Space 2 greatly improved the amount of environments without sacrificing horror, at least not always. The nursery level, for example, captures perfectly a sense of horror and grotesqueness when juxtaposed with the traditional bland grey and browns. The areas in Dead Space 3 should be unique and even gorgeous. If done right, environmental variety need not undermine horror. 5. More Politics Not everyone agrees with me, but I adore the political and religious backdrop to the Dead Space universe. Unitology and some of the hidden lore throughout the game clearly refers to some real world trends, in addition to providing an engrossing back story to the events of the Dead Space and Dead Space 2. The games also tie in all sorts of cool themes and issues, from terrible labor practicies to the intersection of science and politics. Of course none of this is front and center in the game, but for the those willing to look a little deeper (and read some found correspondence), the world of Dead Space is surprisingly rich. As the third game in the series, I hope Visceral rounds out some of these more serious discussions in the series' greater fiction. Category:Blog posts